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The Wish and the Demon
Liam lives by only one rule: Protect his siblings at all costs.
Following the mysterious and gruesome murder of his guardian when he was ten years old, Liam is separated from his brother Ben and placed with new guardians. But while he loves his new sisters, his new parents prove no better than his last.
Eight years pass and the secrets of what happened the night of the murder are Liam’s alone, but they influence every decision he makes. And when Oscar Kaplan, the richest boy in town, finds Liam beaten and covered in blood on the side of the road, his secrets and lies slowly begin to unravel.
Years of school didn’t make them friends, but Oscar was there the night Liam’s guardian was murdered and his newfound determination to be Liam’s friend despite the questions surrounding his past risks exposing the very secret Liam swore never to reveal. Nor are abusive parents, perpetual poverty and high school bullies the only obstacles in Liam’s complicated young life. For when a demon from his past arrives with words of warning, everything Liam thought he knew is thrown into question.
And his life is not the only one in the crossfire.
Following the mysterious and gruesome murder of his guardian when he was ten years old, Liam is separated from his brother Ben and placed with new guardians. But while he loves his new sisters, his new parents prove no better than his last.
Eight years pass and the secrets of what happened the night of the murder are Liam’s alone, but they influence every decision he makes. And when Oscar Kaplan, the richest boy in town, finds Liam beaten and covered in blood on the side of the road, his secrets and lies slowly begin to unravel.
Years of school didn’t make them friends, but Oscar was there the night Liam’s guardian was murdered and his newfound determination to be Liam’s friend despite the questions surrounding his past risks exposing the very secret Liam swore never to reveal. Nor are abusive parents, perpetual poverty and high school bullies the only obstacles in Liam’s complicated young life. For when a demon from his past arrives with words of warning, everything Liam thought he knew is thrown into question.
And his life is not the only one in the crossfire.
411 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 28, 2025
3 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 24, 2025
THE WISH AND THE DEMON by REBECCA CRUNDEN: A Review (No Spoilers)
The Wish and the Demon was my first read from Crunden, and it won't be my last. I went into the story looking forward to some mystery, and y'all, the plot thickens! I need Book 2 to come out yesterday.
The book opens on a pivotal moment in Liam's life—the night his guardian is murdered and he is separated from his brother. Flash forward, and Liam is dealing with the pressures of high school bullies, neglectful parents, taking care of his siblings, and the reappearance of his first crush.
Crunden does a lovely job of setting the scene and placing us in Liam's life. You can really see the snow-covered town, the cozy diners, and the juxtaposition between the "nice" parts of town and the areas in poverty. I particularly liked some of the little details, like the flavor of the bagels, and an accent that you can't quite place...
I wouldn't say I have any particular criticisms for The Wish and the Demon—there are just some things that come down to personal preference. For example, I found that the main love interest was not the one I ended up rooting for. Don't get me wrong! He has his own backstory, he has layers, and I think he's a good character and a wonderful human being—I just found myself agreeing with Liam when he listed all the reasons they shouldn't end up together. I was rooting for the "other guy," although we are left with a whole lot of questions about him.
I also would recommend some content warnings for SA and homophobia. The homophobic slurs are part of the bullying Liam goes through at school, but they make sense in the context of the narrative. The references to SA are not part of Liam's story; they're more to give us context for the bad behaviors of other people and/or shock value.
I'm looking forward to reading more about these characters and unraveling their mystery. The sweet moments had a Heartstopper feel, while the darker moments were dark indeed.
I also wanted to mention that I appreciated the pacing of this book. While a long timespan is covered (in teenage time, anyway), Crunden mercifully keeps us where the action is, cutting past the classrooms and crummy pizza place job and getting to the heart of the narrative. It kept things flowing, and my eyes on the page!
Would I recommend this book? Yes.
I would not recommend The Wish and the Demon to those who:
- are sensitive to language around SA and homophobia
- don't like a cliffhanger (in this case, snatch the series up when it's complete!)
I would recommend The Wish and the Demon to those who:
- like a "first love" kind of romance
- enjoy relatively grounded fantasy that is easy to approach
The Wish and the Demon was my first read from Crunden, and it won't be my last. I went into the story looking forward to some mystery, and y'all, the plot thickens! I need Book 2 to come out yesterday.
The book opens on a pivotal moment in Liam's life—the night his guardian is murdered and he is separated from his brother. Flash forward, and Liam is dealing with the pressures of high school bullies, neglectful parents, taking care of his siblings, and the reappearance of his first crush.
Crunden does a lovely job of setting the scene and placing us in Liam's life. You can really see the snow-covered town, the cozy diners, and the juxtaposition between the "nice" parts of town and the areas in poverty. I particularly liked some of the little details, like the flavor of the bagels, and an accent that you can't quite place...
I wouldn't say I have any particular criticisms for The Wish and the Demon—there are just some things that come down to personal preference. For example, I found that the main love interest was not the one I ended up rooting for. Don't get me wrong! He has his own backstory, he has layers, and I think he's a good character and a wonderful human being—I just found myself agreeing with Liam when he listed all the reasons they shouldn't end up together. I was rooting for the "other guy," although we are left with a whole lot of questions about him.
I also would recommend some content warnings for SA and homophobia. The homophobic slurs are part of the bullying Liam goes through at school, but they make sense in the context of the narrative. The references to SA are not part of Liam's story; they're more to give us context for the bad behaviors of other people and/or shock value.
I'm looking forward to reading more about these characters and unraveling their mystery. The sweet moments had a Heartstopper feel, while the darker moments were dark indeed.
I also wanted to mention that I appreciated the pacing of this book. While a long timespan is covered (in teenage time, anyway), Crunden mercifully keeps us where the action is, cutting past the classrooms and crummy pizza place job and getting to the heart of the narrative. It kept things flowing, and my eyes on the page!
Would I recommend this book? Yes.
I would not recommend The Wish and the Demon to those who:
- are sensitive to language around SA and homophobia
- don't like a cliffhanger (in this case, snatch the series up when it's complete!)
I would recommend The Wish and the Demon to those who:
- like a "first love" kind of romance
- enjoy relatively grounded fantasy that is easy to approach
July 8, 2025
As a fan of Crunden's short stories/novellas, I was excited to read this book, and it did not disappoint. THE WISH AND THE DEMON is, essentially, a supernatural bildungsroman. The characters in this novel are exceedingly well-developed, as are the settings. I love the twins. The beginning of the book captured me immediately and I wanted to see what was going to happen with the vampires, demons, etc. So why the four? (NB - I hate star ratings.) I do not want to criticize this book overly much, as it's good, so I'll keep them terse. The middle is too long and becomes slightly redundant, which may have been purposeful, but it takes up too much of the story and detracts from the beginning. I'm not sure why the demon is a demon, in any classical sense. I remain confused as to why everyone becomes attracted to Liam, but I feel it may have been hinted at, though not strongly enough, and imagine that it might be made clearer in the sequel. I, personally, would have liked to see a little more balance in the portrayal of the wealthy. But, aside from that, when the book finally regained its stride, I found myself wrapped up in it again and look forward to the sequel. For anyone who likes Anne Rice, this is a novel for you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2025
At its core, this is a book about trauma and healing. Liam, our protagonist, has suffered through a horrific childhood nobody deserves, and despite of all the scars he has accumulated, and continues to accumulate, he has grown up to be a remarkably kind-hearted adult. Unfortunately, the terrors from his past still follow him around and threaten to shatter everything he cares about. However, he has some rather rather powerful allies around him now, and his complicated evolving relationship with them forms a great premise for a story such as this.
The author captures the roller coaster of emotions in Liam’s life masterfully. Pretty much all primary characters—Liam, his siblings, Oscar and Sidak are incredibly vivid and likable. The environment of unknown dangers lurking on the outskirts of Liam’s life are painted subtly and skillfully, and at multiple times the writing style reminded me of Stephen King’s books.
The last few parts hint towards a wider scope and larger potential—we get a glimpse of the great powers that are wary of meddling in human affairs, and Sidak’s mysterious forgotten past was an interesting tangent. I am eager to discover how this series evolves further.
Full review on SFF Insiders
The author captures the roller coaster of emotions in Liam’s life masterfully. Pretty much all primary characters—Liam, his siblings, Oscar and Sidak are incredibly vivid and likable. The environment of unknown dangers lurking on the outskirts of Liam’s life are painted subtly and skillfully, and at multiple times the writing style reminded me of Stephen King’s books.
The last few parts hint towards a wider scope and larger potential—we get a glimpse of the great powers that are wary of meddling in human affairs, and Sidak’s mysterious forgotten past was an interesting tangent. I am eager to discover how this series evolves further.
Full review on SFF Insiders
April 30, 2025
I enjoyed the story; I won't give anything away in this review, only that it was well-written and well-described, making you feel as if you were in the story.
May 12, 2025
Very sweet given the number of demons. The characters' love for each other only made the plot feel that much more harrowing. Will definitely read the sequel!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews